The present invention relates to a television apparatus having a speech recognition function, and a method of controlling the same.
In the case of a prior art television apparatus, frequently used operations, such as selection of a channel, are assigned to buttons of a remote controller for instance. Further, as a user presses particular buttons on the remote controller, a menu having a hierarchical structure for each category is displayed on the screen and the user goes through the hierarchical structure, whereby a desired operation is performed.
With reference to FIG. 22, a description will now be given on the sequence of procedures for by-category program search using a menu having a by-category hierarchical structure which is provided in a prior art television apparatus. FIG. 22 is a screen transition diagram regarding by-category program search in accordance with operations made to a push-button type remote controller of the prior art television apparatus.
First, a display apparatus displays upper level categories (Screen 2201). As “SPORTS” is selected within the screen 2201, the display apparatus displays lower level categories for SPORTS (Screen 2202). As “BASEBALL” is selected in the screen 2202, the television apparatus executes by-category program search processing for “BASEBALL” and the display apparatus displays a search result list (Screen 2203).
As for parameters such as an off-timer time (predetermined time (30 minutes for example) of an off-timer mode wherein the television apparatus turns off after the predetermined time) and the aspect ratio of the screen (16:9 or 4:3 for instance), using a on-screen display for setting, a user can set one value which is selected from among a plurality of values.
When these set values are to be changed, the television apparatus makes a current set value displayed on the screen as a result of the first operation-inducing event (inputting of a set value changing instruction). While the on-screen display is provided, the setting is toggled every time the same operation-inducing event occurs.
For instance, every time a set value changing instruction is inputted, the off-timer time displayed on the screen changes through predetermined steps (For instance, the off-timer time becomes longer every time the set value changing instruction is inputted, and after the off-timer time reaches a maximum value, the off-timer time returns to a minimum value.). If the state without inputting of the same operation-inducing event continues for three seconds for examples, the on-screen display disappears.
In the event that the prior art television apparatus described above is equipped with a speech recognition function, a speech recognition unit is capable of recognizing all units of language which are included in a dictionary (which contains all units of language). However, if the television apparatus is capable of operating always in accordance with an inputted instruction (including a unit of language), as a user wrongly inputs an inappropriate instruction (including a unit of language) under the current mode, the television apparatus executes undesired operations. For example, while a terrestrial television program is being shown (terrestrial broadcast receiving mode), if the displayed picture switches to a BS broadcast television program (BS (Broadcasting Satellite) broadcast receiving mode) after a user merely inputs the program name of the BS broadcast television program as speech without inputting a particular instruction (including a unit of language) which demands switching from the terrestrial television program to the BS broadcast television program, the user may get confused as to which broadcast the user is watching now.
The present invention therefore aims at providing a television apparatus equipped with speech recognition function which appropriately responds or does not respond to a unit of language which is inputted as a speech input under the current operation mode.
The present invention has been made in light of the problems described above, and accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a television apparatus comprising a speech recognition function which makes the television apparatus actually operates based on a result of a judgment on the current operation mode and which notifies a user of an operation status.
The present invention also aims at providing a television apparatus equipped with speech recognition function which appropriately responds or does not respond to a unit of language which is inputted as a speech input in accordance with a user's selection.
The remote controller of the prior art television apparatus comprises a limited number of buttons (switches). These buttons (buttons which are expressed as numerical values such as 1, 2 and 3) are correlated with different options in accordance with the content of an on-screen display of the television apparatus. For example, the numerical values representing the respective buttons denote broadcasting channel numbers or option numbers assigned to options in a menu which is displayed on the screen. When a user desires to select a program for instance from within a rich variety of menus which have hierarchical structures for the respective categories, the user is required to search for and identify the desired program while changing the content of the on-screen display through various layers in the hierarchical structures or through various categories. This presents a problem that the richer the menus are, the more complex operations the remote controller requires and hence the longer the operations become.
In the case of the prior art television apparatus, there is a limitation on the number of switches which can be disposed on an operation panel of the remote controller which has a certain surface area. There is also another problem that it takes long for a user to find a necessary switch from among many switches if there are too many switches. It is extremely complicated and therefore impractical to input an instruction to the television apparatus through a key board which is used for a personal computer.
A television apparatus according to the present invention which comprises a speech recognition unit and accordingly accepts an input of a unit of language by speech can accept many types of units of language without limited by the restrictions described above.
The present invention allows to make an efficient use of such a speech recognition function. The present invention aims at providing a television apparatus equipped with speech recognition function which automatically detects and displays a desired program or a program close to what is desired in a prompt manner without switching among complex menus.
Many television apparatuses show a picture demanding or allowing a user to input an instruction (including a unit of language) or guiding a user regarding an inputting method on the screen for a predetermined period of time (which is an on-screen display).
As a user presses an up button or a down button for the speech output level, the speech output level of the television apparatus is displayed on the screen. While the speech level is displayed on the screen, pressing the up button or the down button, the user can set up or change the speech output level.
Assume that the off-timer time is changed as the user pronounces “Off-timer” for instance. Assume further that the off-timer time is currently set to thirty minutes for example. The user pronounces “Off-timer,” and the current set value (30 min) of off-timer is then displayed on the screen. Unless a next unit of language for changing the setting is inputted within a predetermined period of time (three seconds for example), this display screen will disappear. The user is allowed to input a unit of language for changing the setting only while this screen remains displayed. However, in general, the duration of utterance of the speech and a period of time since utterance of the speech until utterance of next speech are much longer than the duration of pressing of a button on the remote controller and a period of time since pressing of the button until pressing of a next button. If the user pronounces “Off-timer” the next time in a slight delay, three seconds (display time) will soon elapse and the on-screen display will disappear. When the user pronounces “Off-timer” after the on-screen display disappears, the off-timer time does not change. In the event that setting is changed using a speech recognition function in this manner, the change of the setting takes longer than where the setting is changed by pressing switches. The display time for a prior art on-screen display is too short to change the setting using a speech recognition function.
However, if the display time of an on-screen display is uniformly extended so that setting can be changed comfortably using a speech recognition function, another problem will arise that when a user presses a switch to change the setting, the on-screen display remains for a while even after completion of change in setting and the user accordingly gets irritated.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a television apparatus equipped with speech recognition function which permits a user to comfortably change settings both by means of the speech recognition function and pressing of a switch.